Depending on the breed, a cat’s whiskers are more or less long and sometimes even curly. But they’re not there just to look pretty. On the contrary, they constitute for the feline, a sensory organ essential to its orientation in space.
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At the cat, what we call whiskers are actually whiskers. From fur longer, thicker and stiffer than the others. But hair all the same, composed of keratin like the others. They are essential sensory organs for cats. At their base, there is indeed a network of particularly sensitive nerve endings.
As their technical name indicates, the cat’s whiskers – which are not only found on either side of its nosebut also above its eyes and on the back of its lower legs – are vibration sensitive. They therefore help the feline to locate everything movement Proximity. They also tell him about the direction and strength of the wind as well as the smells around. And since they are longer than the width of the cat, they let him know if he can squeeze through an opening. The whiskers are also used by the cat, which sees poorly up close, to correctly locate its prey.
Cats have 24 hypersensitive whiskers that detect the slightest current ofair. Whiskers are a great help at night even if the cat has excellent vision nocturnal. They help the feline to locate prey by strengthening its smell and his hearing. Do you know that whiskers are the third most important organ of our little felines? Cats are aware of the importance of whiskers and it is for this reason that mothers shorten them to prevent their kittens from straying too far from them.
Cats have different whiskers depending on their breed but the functions remain the same. The whiskers of the Peterbald or Devon Rex are short and wavy while those of the American Wirehair are curly and rougher. However, most cats have smooth, long, stiff whiskers.
A cat without a mustache?
Given these details, it seems obvious that a cat that has lost its whiskers would be confused and disoriented.
You should also know that the cat also uses its whiskers to communicate with other cats and express its moods. Loose whiskers are a sign of a relaxed cat. Forward-pointing whiskers reveal a cat that is angry or in the midst of a game or hunt.
But don’t panic – even if it remains to be absolutely avoided -, if your child had fun cutting Mistigri’s mustaches, like other hairs, they will soon grow back. Whiskers grow back on average between 2 and 3 months, it can take longer for older cats.
Loss of cat’s whiskers
Whiskers are hairs, they have a duration of limited life and are gradually renewed. It is quite normal for a hair that is too old to come off and another will come to replace it. If you see a mustache on your couch, don’t worry. This mustache loss usually goes unnoticed. The vibrissae can fall off when the cat is grooming itself.
When the cat loses its summer hair, with the arrival of autumn, it can lose whiskers in greater quantity at the same time.
However, the loss of whiskers can be abnormal when the cat loses all its whiskers, if the quantity of whiskers is much less important on one side compared to the other or when they are brittle. Consult a veterinary quickly to assess the cat’s health. The loss of whiskers may be related to a decrease inimmunity or to a deficiency. Take care of your cat’s health.
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